Survive

Chapter Ten

Initial Notes:
> Sorry for this rather shitty chapter :(

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

August 13, 2022.

Madison Stone's Point Of View.

I take one last look in the mirror before I go to the homecoming dance and am pleased with what I see. I am wearing a strappy silver dress that hits a little above the knee and has a bare back and a silver heel.

I am also wearing light and simple makeup and my hair is straight, loose and all behind my ears.

I leave the room and go downstairs, finding Anthony in the living room talking to my mother, the same one who as soon as she sees me stops talking and gives me one of those drooling motherly looks.

"There's my baby... you look so beautiful!" She says slyly and comes over to me, hugging me.

"Thank you mom."

"She looks beautiful, doesn't she Anthony?" She asks Anthony as she lets go of me and starts running her hand through my hair, tucking a few unruly strands behind my ear.

"Yes.. she always looks stunning." And I give him an ear-to-ear smile.

"Thank you."

"What time will the dance start?" My mom asks.

"In about fifteen minutes... I think I'd better be going already."

"That's right, so come on my love. Anthony will take you and then when the dance is over, if you want to go to a snack bar or go to Amour for something to eat with your friends, you can go, but let me and Anthony know first."

"Ok."

"Then good dance to you dear. I love you." She says holding my face gently in her hands.

"I love you." I speak and we start go towards the door, but as my mother opens the door for us to leave, I remember my father. "What about my father? Where is he?"

"He went to go take a shower. Do you want to wait for him? But I think he'll be a while, because when you came downstairs it was only a few minutes after he went upstairs." And I deny it.

"No, no. I'm already going, because Ashley and I agreed to met at the entrance of the dance and she seems to be a very punctual person."

I say goodbye to my mother, walk with Anthony to the garage and he starts driving towards the school after we get into the car.

"Sorry for making you work on your day off," I say and Anthony looks at me quickly through the rearview mirror. Anthony doesn't work on weekends.

"No need to apologize, you know you're my family, I love being with you... and besides, I never do anything really cool when I'm off duty." This breaks me inside, because I know that my parents and I are the only thing that Anthony has.

Anthony is a 51-year-old man who has worked for my family for many years, even before I was born. He is someone special to me because most of the time he was and is more present in my life than my own father. He always cares about me and does what him can to see me happy.

"If you think you don't do anything nice when you are off duty, you can call me and then we can do something together." He gives a smile, but doesn't answer. "Did you hear me? You can call me so we can do something. I'd love to."

"Thank you!"

"Sometimes I think you have no idea how important you are to me." I say as I look out the window at the landscape.

"I know you consider me and I appreciate that, but I don't want you to worry about me, much less waste your time trying to help me have a cooler life." He says in a serious, but not rude way.

"I have more good memories with you than with my own father. So if I see that I can do something to improve your life, I will do it and you won't stop me." I answer him in the same tone and seeing the look in his eyes through the rearview mirror, I know he will give in.

"Okay, okay... you win." He says giving himself away and I smile.

"Great! Then tomorrow we will go to the movies together. Okay?"

"Okay." He agrees and again focuses all his attention on the traffic, causing me to once again admire the beauty of the city in which I live.

...

Anthony opens the door and I get out of the car already looking around, seeing several students, some accompanied and some alone, going towards the entrance of the dance, but soon after I look at Anthony so that I can say goodbye to him and go to the entrance of the dance as well, where Ashley and I have arranged to meet.

"I'm going in now. Bye Anthony!" I say and hug him, but when I pull away from him a little, I see that he is looking at me in a different way, which makes me strange. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing, it's just... you grew up so fast." And my heart melts when I hear him say this, because he says it with emotion. "I remember as if it were yesterday you making me dress up with you from the children's movie characters you liked, me teaching you to ride a bike, taking you to your first day of school in life and today... you are already this big. Soon you will be 16, you will start driving, and you won't need me anymore."

"Obviously not! I will always want to have you around Anthony... you are so much more than just someone who takes me places. You are my family." I say and he agrees looking away, as if he is holding back a few tears.

"You'd better go soon or you will be late." He's right but I deny it. "I'm fine, I'm just amazed at how fast time passes."

"Is that so?"

"Yes." He agrees looking at my eyes.

"Okay then... I'm going to go now, but first give me a hug." I say and approach him, who opens his arms and hugs me tightly. "I love you."

"I love you more. Enjoy the dance."

I thank and say goodbye to him and head towards the entrance. I feel a little sorry that Anthony thinks he is only good for taking me to the places I want to go, because I don't even remotely see him that way. As I said before, I consider him as a father and it hurts me that he doesn't realize that all the moments we live together are also special to me.

"Wow Madison. You look stunning," Ashley says as soon as she sees me and gives me a hug.

Ashley is wearing a black long-sleeved dress, the same one that has a small neckline and is a bit twirly just like mine, and a black heel to match her dress. Her hair is completely loose and her makeup is very light but elegant.

"I'm the one who says wow. You look so beautiful Ashley," I say and she gives a little turn, making me laugh.

"Thank you.. shall we go in?"

"Oh, yes." She holds my hand and we enter the school.